Chapter 5: The Barn
The photograph had been taken less than a minute earlier.
I knew because Lily was still wearing the yellow dress from the kitchen.
Her hair was wet.
Her face was terrified.
I shoved the phone toward Rebecca.
“Where?””
She stared at the picture.
“I don't know.””
“Don't lie to me.””
“I swear!””
Sarah grabbed Rebecca by the shoulders.
“You knew Ethan's hiding places.””
Rebecca swallowed.
“Not anymore.””
“Rebecca,” Sarah said, “my daughter is missing.””
Rebecca looked down.
“There's an old family property.””
“Where?””
“Twenty miles east.””
I grabbed my keys.
Sarah got into the passenger seat.
Rebecca climbed into the back.
“No,” I said.
“You need me,” Rebecca answered.
I looked at her in the mirror.
“Give me one reason.””
“Because Ethan trusts me.””
Sarah turned around.
“He shouldn't.””
Rebecca's voice broke.
“He won't trust anyone else.””
I drove.
For ten minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Sarah said quietly, “Why didn't you tell Daniel?””
Rebecca stared out the window.
“I was afraid.””
“Of Ethan?””
“Of everyone.””
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“You let me become a dead woman.””
“I know.””
“You watched Daniel bury an empty coffin.””
“I know.””
“You married him.””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“I know.””
I slammed my hand against the steering wheel.
“Enough.””
The old road narrowed as we left the highway.
Trees swallowed the headlights.
Finally, a weathered barn appeared behind a line of cedar trees.
Rebecca pointed.
“There.””
I killed the engine.
The barn door was slightly open.
Sarah reached for the handle.
I caught her.
“Stay behind me.””
She looked at me.
“I've already lost two years.””
“And I'm not losing you again.””
Her eyes filled.
“Then don't.””
We entered.
The smell of hay and gasoline filled the air.
A single bulb hung from the ceiling.
Lily's wheelchair sat in the center of the barn.
Empty.
“Lily!””
I ran toward it.
Sarah followed.
There was a stuffed rabbit lying on the seat.
Lily's favorite.
My chest tightened.
Then a speaker crackled above us.
Ethan's voice filled the barn.
“Welcome home.””
I looked around.
“Where is my daughter?””
“She'll be fine.””
“Show me.””
A monitor flickered on.
Lily appeared on the screen.
She was sitting in a small room, crying silently.
Margaret was beside her.
Alive.
Margaret looked directly into the camera.
“Daniel, don't do anything stupid.””
Ethan laughed through the speaker.
“That's good advice.””
I stepped closer to the screen.
“Ethan, you want money? Take it.””
“It's not about money.””
“Then what?””
A pause.
“You took everything from my sister.””
Sarah stepped forward.
“I took nothing.””
Ethan laughed.
“You survived.””
Sarah's face hardened.
“That wasn't your decision.””
“Actually, it was.””
I stared at the screen.
“What does that mean?””
The speaker went silent.
Then Rebecca spoke.
“Ethan.””
Her voice trembled.
“Let Lily go.””
The monitor changed.
A second video appeared.
It showed the night of the crash.
A car raced along the road.
Sarah's car.
Another vehicle followed closely behind.
My heart stopped.
I watched the screen.
The second vehicle pulled alongside Sarah.
A man's arm extended through the passenger window.
Then Sarah's car swerved.
She disappeared over the cliff.
I turned toward Rebecca.
“You said you found the wreck.””
She couldn't look at me.
“You were in that car.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No.””
I pointed at the screen.
“That was your car.””
“It wasn't me driving.””
Sarah stared at her.
“Who was?””
Rebecca began crying.
Before she could answer, the barn doors slammed shut.
The screen went black.
A voice came from behind us.
“Me.””
We turned.
May you like
Margaret stood in the doorway.
And she was holding a gun.
